Business has been booming at Toronto Premium Outlets, which is great news for the retailers there, but not for some area residents who live near the centre.

Vic Hendrickson, who lives just north of the Steeles Ave. outlet centre on Eighth Line, said he and his neighbours have had to contend with traffic congestion and unsafe road conditions at times since the mall opened Aug. 1.

In an email to Town of Halton Hills CAO David Smith, Hendrickson said during the opening weekend the Eighth Line in front of his home was "reduced to an unsafe road condition because of cars parked on both sides of the road for at least a kilometer north of Steeles Ave." He said people were walking to the centre, even pushing baby strollers on the road.

Hendrickson said on Saturday, Aug. 5 Eighth Line at Steeles Ave. was closed to traffic for a period of time and he couldn't get to his home. He said the road was closed again on Sunday, Aug. 6 and a police officer there told him the turn lane was closed because drivers wishing to make the turn to access the overflow parking lot or wanting to turn back to the highway had caused a back-up on Trafalgar Rd.

"The residents of the Eighth Line should not, cannot, must not be denied to turn on to the street on which they live," said Hendrickson in the email to Smith.

Hendrickson has raised those issues to both the Town and Halton Police.

On Wednesday, Aug. 7 the Town installed No Parking signs along both sides of Eighth Line north of the mall.

Sgt. Stephanie Miloknay, who has been overseeing pay duty Halton Police officers working near the mall, said she wasn't aware of the road closures on Eighth Line and officers who could speak to that were on vacation.

Hendrickson has asked Smith why Toronto Premium Outlets (TPO) has been allowed to operate an additional parking lot in a field on the north side of Steeles Ave. on land zoned agricultural that he says would not be a permitted use.

He's launched a petition and is circulating it to his neighbours, in the dozen or so homes in the immediate area.

The petition says the traffic from the centre is causing unsafe road conditions on Eighth Line, and preventing residents from enjoying the peace and privacy they expect.

It goes on to say the parking facility north of Steeles is a non-permitted use and Halton Police are facilitating the non-permitted use losing their credibility with the public.

"The mall created the traffic problems and is not dealing with them in an effective manner on their own property," the petition states.

It calls for no parking signs on both sides of Eighth Line for at least a km north of Steeles Ave., (they have been installed) and No U-Turn and No Turning signs on the east side for the same distance on Eighth Line. It is also calling for No U Turn signs east of the mall on Steeles Ave., and the immediate closure of the field parking lot north of Steeles Ave. It also asks the left turn lane on Steeles Ave. to Eighth Line be signed for local traffic only and all mall traffic to be routed through the mall to exit again at traffic signals.

"All the traffic should be routed through the mall and back out where they have a traffic light," said Hendrickson.

"The opening of Toronto Premium Outlets has to be one of the most successful openings ever seen," said Mayor Rick Bonnette Tuesday. "That just caught everybody by surprise.

"Obviously there are going to be growing pains but let's not push the panic button yet," said Bonnette, who believes the traffic to the mall will die down.

"We're monitoring the situation," said Bonnette, adding the Town is being proactive.

He wouldn't comment on the zoning issue raised by Hendrickson about the overflow lot, as he said Town CAO David Smith had been handling that. Smith is currently on vacation and couldn't be reached for comment.

In an email response to Hendrickson's emails Smith said "the use of the field for parking is a very temporary solution to assist getting through the peak parking issues due to the opening."

"I understand that they are currently not zoned for this use," said Smith.

Hendrickson was not that impressed by Smith's response to his email.

He said Smith is admitting the use of the field for parking is not permitted but the Town will not enforce the bylaw.

The Town's Economic Development Officer Doug Penrice said TPO has just over 2,000 parking spaces and they are meeting the requirements of site plan and the municipal bylaw.

He said during the site plan process a traffic impact study was required and reviewed by staff, "however these studies are based on standard industry specifications and in the case of the TPO initial demand has been higher than anyone would have expected hence the traffic concerns."

"The opening weekend for the TPO was the most successful in the history of Simon Properties and traffic was much more than expected. We are now working with TPO to secure a long-term viable solution to parking," said Penrice.

A spokesperson for TPO said they are "pleased to experience the great interest and support from shoppers."

"Our priority is on safety, for both pedestrians and vehicular traffic. We are continuing to work with the Town of Halton Hills and other local authorities to improve traffic and parking plans for the center," said the spokesperson.